Chandigarh pageant celebrates myriad musical genres

The 51st Bhaskar Rao Nritya and Sangeet Sammelan was a blend of rhythm and melody

The 51st Bhaskar Rao Nritya and Sangeet Sammelan was a mix of rhythm and melody

The 51st edition of Pracheen Kala Kendra’s week-lengthy All India Bhaskar Rao Nritya and Sangeet Sammelan was held not long ago at the Tagore Theatre, Chandigarh. Named immediately after maestro Gayanacharya Bhaskarbua Bhakhle, it highlighted performances by both equally younger and set up artistes. Tabla exponent Suresh Talwalkar and daughter Savani opened the function with their general performance. They ended up accompanied by Nagnath Adgaonkar (vocal), Abhishek Sinkar (harmonium), Ishan Paranjape (cajon and parant), and Rituraj Hinge (calabash).&#13

Eschewing the classic peshkar, kaida, rela, madhyalaya, gat, tukra, padan, and chakradhar sequence, the senior artiste presented an extended Jhap taal — Peshkar and Punjabi Kaida — and Parasbandi Chautaal. By means of a nuanced Chautaal, he exhibited how a taal cycle need to be practised. “Two-three-4-one particular is how a single must start. Stick to it sincerely,” he claimed. This was followed by the bandish, ‘Chalo hato piya’, in raag Sohini, set to Adha Ara Chautaal. It was rendered by Nagnath. Suresh Talwalkar’s vibrant bols seamlessly blended with Nagnath’s voice, with emphasis on lahora and mukhra facets as notated by his expert. He concluded with a strong Chakradhar.&#13

Prof. Harvinder Singh.

Prof. Harvinder Singh.
| Photo Credit history: Specific Arrangement

Working day Two featured Prof. Harvinder Singh’s concert. The Chandigarh-centered musician, chose raag Bageshree. His employment of Kanada–ang (ga-ma-re-sa) could be brought to scrutiny. His presentation of ‘Sakhi man lage na’, a bandish in Vilambit Ektaal, was marked by clarity, followed by Drut Teentaal, and Tarana. He concluded with a Khambaj thumri. Mithilesh Jha and Rajendra Prasad Banerjee accompanied him on the tabla and harmonium respectively.

Sarodist Pt. Debashish Bhattacharya, of the Senia Shahjahanpur gharana, who executed upcoming, introduced the alap and jhor for Jhinjhoti, a melodious raag of Khamaj thaat, in Vilambit teen taal. He continued with raag Kalawati in Madhyalay Ektaal, and stationed with a Mishra Pilu tune. Nonetheless, an avoidable in excess of-indulgence with the tanpura, for which he did apologise, marred the temper. Durjay Bhaumik held continual on the tabla.

Rich legacy

Tulika Ghosh.

Tulika Ghosh.
| Photo Credit score: Specific Arrangement

Tulika Ghosh, daughter of tabla exponent Pt. Nikhil Ghosh, and the good-niece of famous flautist Pannalal Ghosh, blended the flavours of Atrauli, Gwalior, Sahaswan, Kirana, Patiala, and Benaras gharanas in her singing. Her 1st offering was raag Shri. Immediately after alaap, she offered a bandish in Jhaaptaal. In Maharaja Chakradhar Singh’s Raagmala, ‘Re re bahar aayi re chayanatbar’, the tempo adjusted whilst entering ‘Goure kul tilak manohar’, allowing the tabla accompanist, Durjay Bhaumik, to carry to the fore his skills. The Benarasi bhajan, ‘Banvari ki suratiya vistarit nahin’ was her last piece.

Distinctive gharanas

Sitarist Partha Bose.

Sitarist Partha Bose.
| Photo Credit rating: Specific Arrangement

Sitarist Partha Bose, disciple of Pt. Manoj Shankar, of the Maihar gharana, chose to render raag Bihag, in three gats – Madhlay in khayal-ang, tantrakari, and löngi in drut, for his evening concert. Partha Bose’s endeavor to import Etawah-Imdadkhani ang jor-jhala to embellish his rendition unsuccessful owing to deficiency of correct application. He, perhaps, could have stuck to his recognized turf. He wound up with a pleasurable Kafi thumri with Desi Todi inflections.&#13

The Fourth working day also featured vocalist Shaunak Abhisheki of Agra and Jaipur gharanas. Raag Saraswati in Rupak taal, and drut in adha taal were being adopted by a Bhinna Shadja thumri, ‘Hey purana chandrabha’.

Thematic presentation

Contrasting this listless session, Vyjayanti Kashi’s Shambhavi dance ensemble held sway with its thematic creation, ‘Paramapurusha’, which took the audience on a virtual tour of Tirumala. The Kuchipudi piece, ‘Neelamegha Sareera’, tuned to Krishnaleela Tarangini (raga Mohanam, adi tala) noticed dancers balancing on the rim of brass plates. They concluded with Yakshagana infused ‘Pootana Moksha’, inspired by Bhagavatham, harnessing Sanskrit and Kannada scripts adapted from Krishna Charitham. Sketches of Kaliya Daman, and Garuda were distinctive. Having said that, senior dancer Vyjayanti Kashi could have included much more vigour to the presentation.

Shudh Kalyan, set to Vilambit Ektaal and Drut Teentaal, was Sanjeev Abhyankar’s option to start his evening live performance on the fifth working day. He journeyed by way of raag Kalawati, and tarana and hori in Mishra Tilang. Nevertheless, his elaborate explanations grew to become tedious immediately after a issue. Sanjiv rounded off his live performance with a Mira bhajan.&#13

flautist Pravin Godkhindi.

flautist Pravin Godkhindi.
| Photograph Credit: Special Arrangement

Properly-recognised flautist Pravin Godkhindi done with son Shadaj. They presented raag Jog (gayaki ang) in Madhyalay Rupak taal. The father-son duo progressed to drut taankari and layakari, felicitously harnessing the Åar bansuri, although concluding their live performance with Ustad Amjad Ali Khan’s tarana in Mishra Pahari. It was a comforting rendition as Pravin played the notes also in E, like the Åar, but a person octave lower, strung with A, B, E notes in the fifth octave, therefore making for a delightful encounter.

Commencing with raag Hamsadhvani (alap, jod, jhala, madhyalaya teentaal), santoor artiste Rahul Sharma concluded his rendition with the customary Mishra Pahari tune. Notice to evocation along with craft would have enhanced the attractiveness.

He commenced the penultimate working day, with raag Hansadhvani (alap, jod, jhala, madhyalaya teentaal), culminating in the customary Mishra Pahari tune. Focus to evocation alongside craft would have improved the appeal.

Padmaja Suresh.

Padmaja Suresh.
| Picture Credit rating: Exclusive Arrangement

Bhartanatyam dancer and scholar, Padmaja Suresh shown the Thanjavur type via kavuthuvam. Starting with the Kamakshi kavuthuvam, her line-up incorporated a exclusive piece ‘Radhika tava birahey’ on Chandi Devi, following whom Chandigarh is named, dependent on Durga Saptashati. She also done a Muthuswami Dikshitar kriti in raga Kamala Manohari, a daru varnam in raga Kamboji, and ‘Maitreem Bhajata’. Her crew provided Balasubramaniyam Sharma (vocal), R. Keshavan (nattuvangam), Shrihari Rangaswamy (mridangam), and Jayaram K.S. (flute).

Common method

A effectively-recognised representative of the Punjab gharana, Yogesh Samsi, disciple of Ustad Allah Rakha, set the tone for a lively live performance with his presentation of teentaal – peshkar, kaida, rela, padan, tukra, etc. , Tanmoy Deocha accompanied him on the harmonium. Within just the truncated time, Yogesh increased his presentation with his deft touch and strategy, on bayan and dayan.&#13

Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt.

Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt.
| Picture Credit: Distinctive Arrangement

Dedicating the working day to the memory of expert M.L. Koser, founder, Pracheen Kala Kendra, Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt selected to current raag Vishwaranjani (an amalgamation of Shiva Ranjani and Madhubanti), his own development, which bore shades of Pilu and Kirwani, and a touch of Malgunji, just before including his son, Salil Bhatt for an incongruous and inadequate Jog-Jazz.&#13

The Mumbai-based reviewer writes on artwork and tradition.